Method of and apparatus for producing pastes of food and similar products



July 13 1937. G. s. P. DE BETHUNE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCINGPASTES OF FOOD AND SIMILAR PRODUCTS Filed July 24, 1954 INVEXTOR. Gaszonde Beihune m W w z M ATTORNEY.

Patented July 13, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF ANDAPPARATUS FOR PRO- DUCING PASTES OF'FOOIlAND SIMILAR,

PRODUCTS This invention relates to the treatment of raw materials, suchas alimentary materials, in bulk,

with the general object of effecting their intrawith a fluid body oftheir own magma thermodisintegration or in short theirfthermodisintegration, which expression is used hereinafter as aconveniently brief designation of an improved continuous processcomprising the concurrently performed steps of disintegrating the rawuncooked materials while in contact only nature, out of contact with airor any other gas or vapor, and of causing thereby a rapid heat transferalong the newly created boundary surfaces in contact with said fluidbody.

Said fluid body which I herein call magma treatment, or is is composedof the various constituent elements of said materials intermingled sothat the liquid portions of said materials give fluidity to the body,while the solid portions are either dissolved or disintegrated anddispersed in the fluid.

By food products is denoted any edible product which it may beprofitable commercially, or otherwise desirable, to produce in a fluidor pasty form, such as puree, jam, marmalade, preserve,-

spread, cream, dressing, etc., whether the product under any of these orsimilar forms is marketable if properly canned or packed, withoutfurther intended to be subjected to one or more advanced stages oftreatment before arrivingat its ultimate condition for consumption orstorage.

' The process is primarily intended for the treatremoval of anyobjectionable parts Such as twigs, roots, leaves, pits and/or skins; andby washing in order to remove any dirt or other alien ggilstances; alsofor the treatment of fish, shell fowl and/or meats, as soon as posibleafter their respective capture and preliminary preparation, such asremoval of scales, shells, entrails, bones, sinews, feathers and dirtand other'alien su ces. The process may also be utilized advantageouslyfor treating food products after a period of temporary preservation incold storage, or otherwise treated previously for canning or desiccatng.In some instances a certain proportion of the water removed from suchmaterials by dehydration should be restored to them priorto or duringthe application of the present process.

The latter/may also be applied to blendings of two or several foodproducts and it permits moreover a concomitant addition tothe foodproducts it'obrlngthem ingin .preservedto an optimum extent,andwithreunder treatment of such agents (or a combination of them) as may berequired in order to sweeten, to acidity, to season, to flavor, tocolor,. to dilute, to thicken, etc., to the extent that may be necessaryor desirable in each instance, and according to principles which will behereinafter set forth and exemplified.

To operate satisfactorily the herein divulged continuous process, it isessential that there shall be created, when starting the operations, atthe intake end of a thermodisin system, and maintained throughout theoperations, a reserve of under substantially constant conditions ofvolume, temperature, pressure and fluidity.

An object of the invention is to provide means for creating andmaintaining said reserve, under said substantially constant conditions,in order that the concurrent steps of intra-magma disintegration andintra-magma heat-transfer be accomplished continuously within saidreserve, the volumetric, thermic and pressure deficiencies produced insaid reserve by the ultimate discharge of finished being continuouslybalanced by adequate increments of raw uncooked materials, of heat andof pressure delivered to said reserve, while the condition of fluidityis being maintained by adequate applications of energy at various pointsof the system.

A further object of the invention is to give to the materials undertreatment an adequate temperature'under an adequate mmsure.

Another object is to carry out the prom with aminimumexposureofthematerialstoair, and

' almost instantaneously from their temperatin'e to the temperatureprevailthe system, whereby their natural flavor is suits greatlysuperior to ventlonal methods; also vitamins to an optimum degree, whilethe products efliciently.

' Still another-object or the invention Is theProvisionofapparatusspeciallydtofacilltate obtaining thedesiredincreaseot or a lowering ofsaid temperature, ifdeshed, in a Iorthematerlalunderfl'eahnu tbu' th r Eone,orbyaoomblnatlonofthetollowlngmethods, iviz: first;bytransmittinghgatorcoldtothe ;materials' in of t by convectionfromasoumeofheahorof cold,suchfotmmpleassteamorwarmwatenoreoolingfllidina jacket, and/or in a system of cdk:second; by

the materials under treatment,and raisingthe tcmperaturethereotbythe V lulated by the rate of discharge and by the ratio In the illustratedembodimentof a form of apparatus adapted for carrying the invention intoeffect, the part designated by the reference character A is adisintegrating unit into which the materials to be treated are fedcontinuously by 5 a feeding unit E; and after being disintegrated aswill be explained, the magma of disintegrated products is passed througha mixing, disintegrating or homogenizing device B, from which it isthermal energy derived from the mechanical energythus applied: third; incase of the blending v of several products simultaneously with their.disintegration, the production conductively of a de- 5 sired heat.transfer by feeding one or several of these materials at a highertemperature than the others: fourth; another possible source of heatingis an exothermic reaction in the magma of material under treatment.

A further object is to provide means for maintaining an adequatefluidity in the said reserve by continuously returning to it magma in amore advanced stage of treatment.

In carrying the invention into effect the: thermodisintegration ispreferably continuous, as opposed to the conventional batch work, andthe rate of discharge of the final product is equal to the average rateof intake at any given time, the temperature of the discharged productbeing rega system of piping and in part discharged through the dischargeD and the valve II, a part bein preferably returned to the intake l2 ofthe disintegrator A so as to maintain under a constant level L thismagma into which the materials to 15 be disintegrated are dropped fromthe feeding device E through the passage l3. Obviously, the average rateof feed through l3 must be equal to the rate of discharge throughthevalve H.

The feeding device E comprises a casing provided with a feed hopper l4and a rotor R. The rotor R has a general cylindrical or conical shapefitting tightly in the inside of the casing C, being adjusted to rotateinside of this latter. Lubri-, cation is provided by special devices I5operating with water or any suitable mixture or any suitable oil or fator emulsion adapted' not to impair the taste or flavor of the productsunder treat ment. The rotor has a shaft It entering thecasing throughstufling boxes (not shown) and is driven by any su'table means (notshown).

The rotor is provided-with one or a plurality of sockets or. cells l1,flve in number being illustrated and described herein, cooperating withof this latter to the rate of by-passing, when a portion of the materialunder treatment is returned to an earlier stage for repeated treatment,as is contemplated under certain desirable conditions.

When a fresh fruit or vegetable, or generally any food product treatedwith adequate fluid is submitted to disintegration, as soon as it or apart thereof comes into effective contact with a disintegrating member,it usually emits juice,

which has a tendency immediately to separate from the solid parts and toflow oif if circumstances permit its being drained off. I havediscovered that the easiest 'way'-to 'prevent this pumped by a pump P-so as to be driventhrough 10 ratus; for carrying into separation is tocause the disintegration to take place within the fluid bodyhereinbefore called magma, and to this end, to maintain continuously areserve of an adequate volume of said magma to .cover thedisintegration, and to impart to said reserve an adequate turbulence.

Said magma has interesting properties, viz..-

' it may be maintained fairly fluid by proportioning the increments ofraw materials to thevolume of the reserve, and, by keeping it turbulent;it

r usually wets said increments, so that if they have not been fed undervacuum, the air taken by them into the'magma readily escapes; finally,

the magma insures an intimate contact between all its constituent.parts, and thereby fosters heat transfer.

By returning continu'o ly to the intake of the system an adequateproportion of a product already fit, or nearly fit, to be dischargeddefinitely from the system, said returned products are again submittedto the full treatment after havin been admixed with the increments ofrawmaterials.

A general improvement is noticeable in proportion "to the time elapsed,atleast for acertain period until a substantially constant regime isobtained,

-' said period being practically coincident with the period required forpriming; I 1

V The above and other features of the invention are illustrated anddescribedfully in the accompanying drawing and specification and arepointedoutintheclaims. v

. In'the drawing:-

Fig, 1 is a view in elevation of a form of appaflect'the process hereindisclosed. v 2 is a view in vertical sectionof the feeding unit of Fig.1, shown separately.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the disintegrator unit, alsoshownseparately.

Fig. in a detail view showing the manner of assembly of the'knives ofthe" disintegrator.

- alcoholic vapor,

the casing to insure the feed of the materials to be disintegrated.

The casing has two openings: one of these is connected with the hopperor chute ll into which the materials to be treated are continuouslydelivered at an adequate rate by hand or by any in front of M, thissocket is receiving in an adequate way the materials delivered by thechute ll; when, later .on, this same socket will be in the position d,these materials will fall through I: into the feed end ofthedisintegrator A.

Three systems of pipings, viz.: l8, I9, 20, are

connected to the casing. The piping I8 is connected with a system (notshown) permitting the application of suction, so that the socket inposition I), after havingreceived its load of materials from M in theposition 1;, begins to open-in front of IS, the air taken away with samematerials is removed, at'least to alarge extent, and the suc-' tion ismaintained until the socket is driven to position 0, so as to .open infront of the piping l9; 'this latter is connected simultaneously througha pipe II with a source (not shown) of a suitable neutral gas such asnitrogen or carbon dioxide or a suitable vapor such as steam-or anoccupying theyposition c, is at equilibrium of pressure with saidintake, this pressure being either smaller or greater than theatmosphericpressure .as' may be desirable in view of the temperature tobe maintained in the intakeand in I! such as the one shown in positionain Fig. 2,-opens and the pipe' I! is connected through the pipe 22.with the intake end 'of' the disintegrator A, so that this same socket,now

:members byset screws heat transfer to the magma as will now. The intakeend of the d'isintegrator as well thereof should be jacketed as at 29and/or a system of coils filed December 2, 1932. This 2 to the fact thatsuch machines are very eifective i the materials through i3, as saidhereinbefore, socket, empty of materials, but filled with the same gasor vapor as the intake, moves on and when it reaches the position e,having opened in front of the pipe-20, it has been put in communicationwith a system of vacuum (not shown) by which the neutral gas or vaporthat fills it can be recovered, or it is simply put in communicationwith the'outside atmosphere, so as to release the pressure.

Finally the socket comes back to its initial position a, and the wholecycle starts again, each socket l1 having in turn been operating in thesame cycle. I

It can beseen that the sockets I! can be made as large. as materiallypossible and 'of any convenient shape; the only limit is due to the factthat the walls separating two adjoining sockets must be thick enough toavoid any sh'brt circuiting between the openings and pipings l8, l9 and20.

The disintegrator A may comprise any suitable system of pulper, shearer,disintegrator, etc. In the instance illustrated, I have shown a rotarytype of disintegrator having a barrel 23 equipped with several knives24, mounted removably in the barrel 23, along radii thereof, beingsecured in position on the shaft 25 by wedge members 25 and by caps orkeepers 21 keyed to the wedge 28. This disintegrator a. very greatturbulence of the magma inside of the intake of the disintegrator, whichcircumstance is highly favorable to main the fluidity of, and toinsure agood he explained when rotating produces as the body or a system ofradiators (not shown) may be provided inside of the intake or of part ofit, in order to permit by heat transfer either to warm up or to cooldown the magma in the intake, by circulating a warmer or cooler mediumin the jackets, coils or radiators.

One of the objects of this invention is by maintaining the magma in theintake at a suitable temperature to bring as rapidly as possible thematerials to the same or nearly the same, temperature, orin other words,to disintegrate. the materials with a simultaneous change in temperatureof organic products, the newly created boundary surfaces beingimmediately brought to the temperature of the surrounding magma (or atemperature very near it). When the object is a raise in temperature, itis well known that a sudden raise from say room temperature (70 F.) tobetweeh 170 and 200 F. rapidly destroys the enzymes and f insures abetter conservation of the flavors and probably also of the vita Themachine B may ing or homogenizing machine of any suitable type. Iprefer, however, a mixer of the type covered by my U. S. Patent No.1,727,723 and my pending application for patent, Serial No. 645,363,preference is due when some additional materials have to be added to thematerials at this stage, such as flavoring orseasoning materials if theyhave not been admitted with the other materials through the feedingdevice E. Another reason for this preference, is that such machines actas further disin tegrators of increased eflicien I reducing pro-'gressively the'solid fragments to a very small size, fostering the heattransfer and producing a not) enclosure of the disintegrated materialsthe Ming move dirt. and the leaves and roots homogeneous fluid productat adequate temperature and pressure, which product is ready to bedelivered to the discharge appliance.

The pump P may be a rotary, centrifugal or' piston pump of any suitabletype, adapted to each different case.

p The disinegrator'A is connected to the machine B through the piping 23on which is provided a valve 29 in order to be able to shut off the flowduring the period of priming the disintegrator, i. e. the period ofbuilding up the level L and the temperature of the magma, although thispriming can also be done by maintaining the circulation through thewhole system, only the valve 33 on the discharge being then closed untilsuch priming is finished.

The discharge D comprises another system of heat transfer as for examplea system of coils II of a certain length contained in a jacketed (or 32.This device is particularly intended for the case in which the materialshave been treated at a pressure above the atmospheric pressure in orderto raise their temperature well above boiling point without their beingbrought to a boil. If they were then suddenly released at theatmospheric pressure they would boil, whereas their excess of pressurecan be absorbed by frictional engagement within the coils 3| and theirtemperature be lowered by heat transfer to the cooling medium in theenclosure. The final The pipe 33 connects B and P; the pipe 34 connectsthe discharge of the pump with a piping I leading on the one side i! tothe intake and on the other side 35 to the discharge D. The valves 29,30, 36, H serve to regulate the flows of the returned parts and of thepipes 31, 38, 39, ll constitute connections for admitting into the heattransfer devices the heating or cooling medium. It must be understoodthat B, P and the several pipings can be jacketed if desirable.

It should be mentioned that in certain cases several parts of the systemmay be omitted with out changing its basic nature, as for example, whentreating fruit with sugar in order to prodevioe E may be dispensed with,inasmuch as in this case the temperature to be imparted to the magma iswell below boilingpoint of the mixture and it has also been shownexperimentally that the air escapes readily from the materials in theintake. Forcoarse particles and there is consequently no needfortheirfurtherbeingrenderedfinerinB,this 'latter'canbewith.Thedischargede ZviceDcanusually bewithwhen the feedingdeviceltisnotused.

The following are examples of a few of the ment y utilization of theabove'process and apparatus: 7

Emmple 1. Treatment ofcarrbts The carrots are prepared, 1. e. washedtoreare'removed, if necessary. f nfirstbatchiswarmeduptosayboiiingpointdischarged parts. The. i

35. As another example, when no. additional mixing is contemplated in B,or when be a. mixing, disintegmh i the materials may be disintegrated byA in 3 man gseful treatments capable of accompllshby independent means;to the carrots in this batch there has been added about to of water,preferably at about 200 F.

ing device E and the discharge D are used. When the first batch isready, it is put into the hopper of the disintegrator in order to primethe system. The feedingdevice, the disintegrator, the mixer and the pumpare started, the vacuum applied by pipe l9 to the socket in the positionI) being about 29", the pipe I9 being simultaneously connected as wellas the pipe 22 through the pipe 2| to a source of steam (saturated) atbetween 10 to work, operating at the same constant rate of discharge asthe average rate of intake into the system. The discharging-pureepassing through the coils of the discharge D is cooled down by a coolingmedium to about 212 F. in order to prevent its boiling when finallyreleased from the a system;

The discharged puree is immediately put into' containers; if theselatter have been previously sterilized and if their filling and sealingcan be done out of any contact with air, the containers need not-befurther processed. If not so preindependent means;

ture.

pared, they are processed according to the usual routine.

Example 2. Treatment of spinach The spinach is first prepared, 1. e.washed in order toremove the dirt, and the roots and dry leaves, if any,are also removed. The'system previously described is operated withoutthe feeding device E and without the A first batch is warmed upto say F.by to the spinach in this batch there has been added'about 25 to 35% ofwater, preferably at about 200 F. This batch bein ready is put into theintake of. the disintegrator and this latter, as well as the mixer andthe pump are started; ,also steamis put on inthe jackets. The pureeproduced by the disintegrator is thus circulated and new preparedspinach is added simultaneously tion of watenthis latter F.; no part ofthe puree level L is obtained in the that time is full of a' liquidmagma containing spinach which is already disintegrated, said magmabeing at an average temperature of say 200 F., although some parts ofthe freshly admitted-spinach may still be at a lower tempera- From nowonthere is continuously discharged asmuch in weight'of finished puree atsay 200 F., as the weight of materials which are continuously fed intothe intake at a constant rate of delivery, for example by operating aconveyor for the solid materials'and a gauged pipe for water. A conveyerdelivering 42 pounds of prepared spinach. every minute, when 18 poundsof water will be admitted during the same time, will permit thedischarge of 60 pounds of puree per minute, or at the 'rate of 3600pounds per-hour.

The discharged puree is put immediately into containers which? aresealed cor'dingto the usual routine.

, uncondensed from the upper disintegrator and this latter is dischargedevice D.

maintained at the same rate as the average with the desiredproperpreferably at' about. 200 is' discharged until the disintegrator,which by containers are cooled down,

and processed ac- It must bementioned that the added water can beintroduced either into the disintegrator or into-the mixer B. Seasoningcan also be introduced into the puree invprocess of thermodisintegrationby being continuously introduced into the hopper of the disintegrator Aor into the mixer B at a convenient rate of flow.

Steam can be used for warming up either the magma in the intake orthepuree in the mixer, by releasing by condensation its latent heat ofvaporization, said steam being injected under adequate thermodynamicconditions. When it' is injected into the magma, a part of it escapessurface of the magma and protects this latter against contact "with air;said steam also is fostering and activatirig the escape ofair admittedwith the fresh spinach delivered to the intake of the disintegrator. Aremarkable fact is that this latter is immediately wettedby the magmawhereby the air taken in is displaced and escapes.

When steam is used, the amount of water to be introduced mustaccordingly be reduced.

Example 3 Making plum a'am intake of the feeding device E and withoutthe discharge, de-

vice D. t I

A first batch of prepared fruit is put into the, started as well as themixer' and the pump with steam in' the jackets. The plums are veryeasily transformed by the disintegrator into a puree which is circulatedand takes up of say about F. is obtained, sugar is added progressivelyto the puree and circulated with it, whereby it gets mixed with it,until the right proportion of say obtained, the blending sametemperature. From now on,

sugar are added in the above .proportions and the blending is circulateduntil the magma in the unit A attains'the-level- L, care being taken to4 maintain it at the same average temperature.

From this instantthe discharge is started and of materials, the.temperature being .kept constant by controlling of returned productthrough the pipe I2.

The discharged jam is sent to a filling machine and if the containersare satisfactory from the sterility point of view, taken during thefilling and the sealing, they can be kept without any furtherprocessing. The slowly if in glass,

heat; when the temperature 45%plums and 55% sugar is being maintained atthe plums andthe jackets and/or the rate and if due precautions arerapidly if in tin cans, the jam usually setting during the cooling.

The above pro rtion of.45% fruit, 55% sugar may have to change accordingto the. pectin content and the acidity of the plums.

It is to be understood that these examples .are not limitative and thatthe method can be applied, and the equipment usedfor any vegetable; oranimal edibleproductor any organic or non- .organic product whichitwould be desirable to treat by thermodisinte'gra on. As objects ofsuch treatment, I wish to -mention: 'thermodisinte grated fruit for theproduction ofcordials or perfumes, thermodis'integrated sugar beets forthe extraction of sugar, thermodisintegrated flowers for the productionof perfumes or extraction of essences. V

As further examples of thermodisintegrated food products, showingfurther applications 01' the procms of thermodisintegration, I mention:

Oyster preserves- IM fresh oyster is thermodisintegrated either alone orwith seasoning at a temperature between 170 and 250 F.; the product isput into cans or jars and further processed if necessary. By adding tothe thermodisintegrated puree of oysters a few whole oysters which canbe done by putting these latter in the containers previous to fillingthem with the thermodisintegrated puree, a new very tasty product can beobtained:

Asparagus preserves. '1he tips of the asparagus being put aside, thebutts are thermodisintegrated; a proportion of the tips is put ihto thecontainers, cans or jars, into' which the --hot thermodisintegratedproduct obtained with butts is afterwards introduced. The containers areprocessed if necessary.

Cherry jam-A part 01' the pitted or unpitted cherries is put asideandthe other cherries preferably pitted are therinodisintegrated with acertain proportion of sugarand, if necessary, of an organic acid. Thewhole cherries are put at a certain right proportion into thecontainers, cans or jars into which afterwards the hotthermodisintcgrated and sugared cherries-are admitted. The containersare then processed to the'right temperature it necessary. The sugarproportion in the thermodisintegrated product should be such as topermit a right concentration for gellingof the syrup after osmosis withthe whole cherries.

Pea soup-Peas are thermodisintegrated and are put into containers inwhich previously had .been put, in an adequate proportion chunks of porkmeat. The containers after being sealed are sterilized if necessary.

Tomato preserves.chunks of tomatoes or whole tomatoes are put intocontainers which are filled with thermodisintegrated tomatoes, sealedand sterilized if necessary.

As far as food products are concerned, it is remarkable thatvtheproducts obtained by thermodisintegration or with application ofthermodisintegration show qualities not obtained by other methods. It isa fact that the flavors of the products are much nearer the naturalflavors than with other methods and the vitamin contents maybe lessairected by heat than usually, which is probably a consequence of theheat treatment being applied in the absence of air and in a short time.

The method of thermodisintegration of products under pressure below orabove atmospheric may also be applied to chemical processes.

From the foregoing disclosure, it will be seen that my improved processof thermodisintegration comprises the building up in an enclosure of amagma of material to a predetermined level, and disintegrating saidmagma together with the progressively added increments and the. concur-'rent building up of a predetermined temperature level in the magma, byimparting heat to the materials either by convection, by friction or byconduction, or otherwise or subtracting heat from said materials; alsothe maintenance of these two levels and an adequate pressure levelconstant during the continuous operation of the system; also that insome cases it is desirable to by-pass at least a portion of thepartially or wholly treated material to an earlier stage for re-minglingwith the magma and/or added materials for retreatment and to add to ordiminish the heat thereofand thereby aid to control said levels. Thuseffect, and

5 there i maintained at all times an equilibrium or balance between, onthe one hand, the added materials admitted or fed for treatmentby way ofthermodisintegration, and, on the other hand, the thermodisintegratedmaterials withdrawn from the magma, the source or sources of heat energysupplying continuously the increment of heat or of cold required tobring the inflowing added materials from their cooler initialtemperature to the optimum temperature desirable for the final productupon its discharge.

The by-passing operation is primarily for the purpose of aiding undercertain conditions in the maintenance of theme fluidity and temperaturethroughout the magma of the material under treatment.

Accordingly, the aforesaid process is claimed generically, regardless ofthe specific apparatus herein disclosed and claimed for carrying it intoregardless of such modifications as may be made, either in the modeof,or apparatus for, practising the process, so far as such modificationsdo not depart from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:--

1. The process of treating raw alimentary materials in bulk byintra-magma thermodisintegration, said process comprising theoperations,

performed concurrently, of disintegrating said raw materials out ofcontact with air or any other gas or any vapor, and in a reserve of afluid mix thereof, creating extensive circulating currents throughoutthe magma thus formed, rapidly changing the temperature of the incomingincrements by convection between the magma and an external thermalsource, and by intra-magma conduction out of contact with air or anyother gas or any vapor, to a degree adequate to insure preservation ofthe product when maintained under adequate thermic conditions, anddischarging continuously fluid portions of said reserve equal to theaverage increments of raw materials fed thereinto. I

2. The process of treating raw alimentary materials in bulk byintra-magma thermodisintegration, said process comprising theoperations, carried on concurrently and continuously, of disintegratingsaid raw materials out of contact with air or any other gas or any vaporin a reserve of a liquid magma thereof, creating extensive circulationcurrents throughout said magma, increasing the temperature oftheincoming increments by convection between the magma and an externalthermal source and by intra-magma conduction out of contact with air orany other gas or any vapor to a degree adequate to insure preservationof the product when maintained under sterile conditions, and dischargingcontinuously fluid portions of said reserve equal to the averageincrements of raw materials fed thereinto.

3. The process of 'treating raw alimentary un-= cooked materials in bulkby intra-magma thermodisintegration, said process comprising theoperations, carried on continuously, of maintaining in an enclosure 2;fluid magma of constant I level substantially filling the enclosure byadding thereto measured increments of raw materials and of fluid mediumand withdrawing quantities of the treated product corresponding to theincrements of raw materials, continuously disintegrating in saidinclosure said raw uncooked materials intra-magma out of contact withair or any other gas or vapor, continuously supplying said fluid magmawithadequate increments oi heat from an exterior source, and therebycontrolling in said magma. a degree of temperature adequate to raise theheat of said increments by the intra-magma conduction rapidly from theheat condition suitfeeding heat to an, optimum able to effectpreservation of the final product after discharge thereof into sterilecontainers.

4. The process of treating raw alimentary uncooked materials in bulk byintra-magma thermodisintegration, said process comprising theoperations, carried on continuously, of maintaining in an enclosureafluid magma of substantially constant volume by adding thereto measuredincrements of raw materials and of fluid medium and withdrawingquantities of the treated product corresponding to said increments,simultaneously disintegrating in said enclosure said raw uncookedmaterials intra-magma out of contact with air or any other gas or vapor,supplying said fluid magma with adequate increments of heat from anexterior source, by-passing portions of at least partially treatedmaterials from one stage of the system to an earlier stage forretreatment and thereby aiding to control in said magma a condition offluidity and a degree of temperature adequate to raise the heat of saidincrements by the intra-magma conduction rapidly from the feeding heatto an optimum heat condition suitable to effect preservation of thefinal product after discharge thereof into sterile containers.

5. The method of disintegrating materials of the class described in theform of a fluid magma, said method comprising the operation of buildingup. a reserve of said magma to a predetermined volume and maintaining cotime by adding measured increments of raw materials, and concurrentlywithdrawing: corresponding quantities of the treated product, applying arotary disintegrating force at a relatively low region of said magma insuch a manner as to perform the disintegration out of contact with airor any other gas or vapor, and to create cur-v rents in said reserve,one biased into the region of action of said rotary force, and anotherbiased upward through said fluid magma toward the region of introductionof said added materials, whereby the added materials are quickly broughtto the desired condition of fluidity and whereby a constant flowofproperly conditioned materials to said disintegrating force ismaintained.

6. The process of thermodisintegration comprising the steps of (1)building up a reserve of at least partially thermodisintegrated productsin the form of a fluid magma, and maintaining said reserve undersubstantially constant conditions of volume, temperature, pressure andfluidity, (2) continuously discharging adequate portions of saidreserve, (3) continuously making up the volumetric andthermicdeficiencies thus created in said reserve by feeding into itadequate quantities of raw materials and by exchanging heat between itand exterior sources of energy, and (4) continuously disintegrating saidraw materials intra-magma out of contact with any gas or vapor, therebycausing a rapid intra-magma heat exchange and an equalization oftemperature within said reserve.

'7. The continuous process of intra-magma thermodisintegratingalimentary materials in bulk, comprising the initial step of building upat the intake end of a thermodisintegrating system a reserve of a liquidmagma of said materials, said reserve being characterized by its volume,temperature, pressure, and fluidity, and being maintained in a state oftinuously said volgrater said raw materials,

charge of the system at a rate of turbulent motion and, 1

while maintaining said reserve under substanf tially constant andpredetermined conditions of volume, temperature, pressure, fluidity andturbulence, the further steps of, pari passu, (1) continuously feedinginto said reserve increments of raw materials .at an adequate rate offeed, and imparting-heat to said magma by convection from an exteriorsource at an adequate rate of heat transfer, (2-) continuouslydisintegrating said raw materials, said operation being performedintra-magma out of contact with air or any other gas or any vapor,turbulence to said magma and thereby imparting to the enclosed materialsin process of disintegration, maintaining fluidity in the reserve, andcausing a. rapid intra-magma heat conduction and an equalization oftemperature, (3) continuously withdrawing from said reserve portions ofsaid liquid magma at a rate superior to the rate of feed, and advancingsaid portions in stream being directed to the discharge of the system ata rate of discharge equalto the rate of feed, and the other stream beingreturned to said reserve, whereby the liquidity of the magma containedtherein is fostered.

8. The continuous process of intra-magma thermodisintegrating alimentarymaterials in bulk, comprising the initial step of building up at theintake end of a thermodisintegrating system a reserve of a liquid magmaof said materials, said reserve being characterized by its volume,temperature, pressure and fluidity, and being maintained in a state ofturbulent motion,

into said reserve increments of raw materials at,

an adequate rate of feed, and imparting heat to said magma by convectionfrom an exterior source at an adequate rate of heat transfer, (2)continuously disintegrating in a first disintesaid operation beingperformed intra-magma and out of contactwith air or with any other gasor vapor, thereby imparting turbulence to said magma and to the enclosedmaterials in process of disintegration, maintaining fluidity in thereserve, and causing a rapid intra-magma equalization of temperature,(3) continuously withdrawing from said reserve portions of said liquidmagma at a rate superior to the rate of feed, and submitting saidportions, in a second and more eifectivedisintegrator, to another andmore effective action of intra-magma disintegration, thereby causing afurther intra-magma heat conduction and a further equalization oftemperature, and a homogenization of said portions, '(4) continuouslyadvancing said portions in two streams, one-stream being directed to thedisdischarge equal to the rate of feed, and the other stream beingreturned to said reserve, whereby the liquidity of the magma containedtherein is fostered.

9; In the process of intra-magma thermodisintegration of materials stepsof making and building up to a gravitational level in an enclosure areserve of liquid magma of the materials, imparting to the magma apredetermined temperature level, and subjecting said magma toapredetermined pressure level, and maintaining constant saidgravitational, temperature, and pressure continuously feeding into saidreserve increments levels, while of raw uncooked materials, continuouslydisintetwo streams, one

heatconduction and an of the class described, the

25 charging port, whereby an Equalization of grating said materials, outof contact with air or any other gas or vapor and continuouslywithdrawing from said reserve fluid portions equal to the average of theincoming increments, submitting said withdrawn portions to a further andmore effective operation of intra-magma disin-- tegration atpredetermined temperature and pressure levels, returning as an incrementto the said reserve a part of said portions and discharg- 0 ing thebalance at an adequate temperature for further utilization.

10. The combination in a machine for treating material-of the classdescribed, of a unit having a treating chamber with an inlet port,- and15 a feeding unit having a casing with a discharge port in communicationwith said inlet port of the tially as and for the purpose described,means connecting the treating chamber with the fluid pressuretherebetween may be 0 tain'ed.

11. A rotary feeding device for materials of the class described, saiddevice comprising a rotor having a series of peripheral cells, and acasing having a cavity within which said rotor is fitted, said casinghaving a material-feeding port, a fluid pressure supply port, adischarge port and an evacuation port, said ports being adapted toregister seriatim with each of said cells in turn, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

12. In a system for continuous intra-magma thermodisintegration' ofmaterials of the class described, an intra-magma thermodisintegratingunit of the autoclave type in which said material may be disintegratedintra-magma under pressure at a temperature above the normal boilingpointwithout boiling, and in combination therewith a feeding devicehaving means adapted to withdraw suctionally entrained air from theincoming raw uncooked materials and a discharge device having meansadapted to lower the temperature of the final product for deliverythereof in sterile condition for further utilization without boiling.

GASTON S. P. n1: B 'I'HUNE.

